An approachment to group processes in female professional sport

Abstract

Under consideration of the conceptual model of cohesion (Carron & Eys, 2012), this study examined how perceptions of ambiguity and role conflict can predict group cohesion and how it could influence transactive memory and collective efficacy in female sport teams. The participants were 225 professional female soccer players (M = 22.20, SD = 4.61). Each individual belonged to one of 13 federate teams that participated in the First Division of the Spanish Women’s Soccer League. The structural equation model showed that members that perceived greater ambiguity and role conflict perceive less task cohesion with their teams. Additionally, individuals who feel more united with their team and are willing to work in a collaborative manner state that a greater transactive memory in regards to performing tasks and greater collective efficacy in realizing these tasks exist. The results suggest that the group leaders in female sports teams will have to make an effort to define the roles of each member of the team to improve the union and group work, because these factors are linked to the capacity of sharing knowledge among group members and the confidence in abilities when facing team work.